Mining Approvals & Permits: Riversgold secured Mining Lease M25/389 for its Northern Zone Gold Project in WA, granting 21-year tenure to July 1, 2047 and moving the project closer to development. Project Finance & Policy: Canada confirmed $500m in support for Imperial Metals’ Red Chris block cave transition, backing jobs and extending mine life by about 14 years. Coal Pipeline to Construction: Corvus coal’s $1.24bn Corvus project cleared an environmental impact statement terms-of-reference step, outlining underground mining, conveyor and rail load-out plans. Critical Minerals & Processing: Nigeria’s Shettima commissioned a 6,000 t/day lithium processing plant in Nasarawa, pushing value-add over raw exports. Rare Earths From Coal: The US DOE selected the University of North Dakota for a $75m pilot to recover rare earths and critical materials from coal at Falkirk Mine. Market & Risk Watch: Wallbridge suspended Québec exploration due to wildfire risk near its Detour-Fenelon gold trend. Health & Liability: South Africa’s Tshiamiso Trust paid R2.7bn to mineworkers affected by silicosis and TB, with claims still open to 2029. Regional Mining Politics: Karnataka’s DK Shivakumar signaled a “mining protocol” meeting in Bengaluru, tightening oversight in a politically sensitive sector. Energy Backdrop: Japan cut gas generation and leaned more on coal as Hormuz-linked LNG disruptions tightened supplies.